Apparatus for cleaning brushes



April 5, 1960 J. N. HARRIS 2,931,661

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING BRUSHES Filed Feb. 7, 1958 FIG. .1.

INVENTOR.

JOSEPH /v. knee/s,

Un sd st tePatsm 0. Tie

This invention relates to a brush holder. More specifically, the instantinvention deals with a. brush holder 7 adapted for connection with arotatable power source for the purpose of spinning the brush at a highrate of speed in order to clean the bristles thereof.

Among the objects of this invention is to provide a brush holder of theclass described which is especially adapted for use in cleaning paintbrushes.

Another object is to provide a brush holder intended for use in thefollowing manner: First,-the brush to be cleaned is secured to theholder; second, the holder is mounted in a power source (for example, apower drill); third, the brush is dipped into a suitable solvent andfinally, the brush is rotated at a high speed within an enclosed areathus throwing off the paint and solvent by centrifugal force.

Still another object is to provide a brush holder formed in such amanner that the brush will be securely held during the spinning process,and yet be easily demountable when the process is completed.

Among the further objects and advantages of this invention is to providea brush holder constructed and assembled in accordance with theteachings thereof, the brush holder being inexpensive to manufacture,simple in construction and durable in use. I

Other and further objects will become more readily apparent from aconsideration of the following specification when read in conjunctionwith the annexed drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a 'brush holder falling withinthe scope of this invention, having a brush mounted therein for cleaningand being releasably secured to a hand power drill of a conventionaltype;

Figure 2 is an enlarged, detail cross-sectional view of the brush holdershown in Figure l, the view taken substantially along the vertical planeof the line 22 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the brush holder dismountedfrom the power source, but having the brush in place; and i Figure 4 isan enlarged detail cross-sectional view taken substantially on thehorizontal plane of line 4-4 of Figure 2, looking in the direction ofthe arrows.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral 10designates, in general, a brush holder constructed and assembled inaccordance with the teachings of this invention. The brush holder 10 isseen to comprise an elongated, substantially hollow, cylindrical mainbody portion 12, constructed of rubber or any other equivalent resilientmaterial, having an open end 14 and an opposed substantially closed end16 and, as is seen in the drawing, a substantially annular boss 17formed therearound adjacent the closed end 16.

The closed end 16 is provided with a substantially circular opening 18,in coaxial alignment with the major axis of the main body portion 12,the opening 18 extending transversely therethrough for a purpose to bedescribed below. The main body portion 12 also has .-a

2,931,661 Patented Apr. 5, 1960 series of spaced, alternate,longitudinally extending lands 19 and grooves 20 formed on the outersurface thereof for the purpose of providing a firm grip when insertingor withdrawing a brushfrom the holder 10. The lands 19 and grooves 20extend longitudinally down the outer surface of the main body portion 12from the boss 17 thereof to the open end 14.

In assembling this device, a substantially cylindrical spindle member 22having a substantially disc-shaped base 24 is fitted through the opening18 in the main body portion 12, the opening 18 being of sufficient sizeto allow the passage of the spindle member 22 therethrough, but not ofsuflicient size to allow the passage of the disc 24 which is ofsubstantially the same outer dimensions as the diameter of the innerside of the main body portion 12 adjacent the boss 17. The spindle 22 isprovided with a threaded portion 26 adjacent the portion thereof whichpasses through the opening 18. A washer 28 of conventional design isplaced around the spindle 22 and bears against the closed end 16 of themain body portion 12, the washer being held in place by a hexagonal nut30 which is threadedly connected to the threaded portion 26 of thespindle 22.' It may be observed from the drawings that the base 24 andthe washer and nut 28, 30, cooperate to releasably connect the main bodyportion 12 to the spindle 22.

A substantially cylindrical plug member 32 having a bore 34 extendingtherethrough and coaxial with respect to the spindle 22 is press-fittedinto the inner surface of the main body portion 12 and rests against theclosed end 16 thereof.

In making use of the brush holder to clean a paint brush, the handle 36of the brush 38 to be cleaned is pressed into the open end 14 of themain body portion 12 and the spindle 22 is secured by conventional meansto the chuck portion of a hand drill 40 or other rotatable power source.Because the main body portion is constructed of a resilient material,the resiliency thereof will tend to grip and hold the brush 38 Withinthe main body portion 12 of the holder 10. Furthermore, when the powersource is activated it has been found that at the initial rotation ofthe brush the body 12 is slightly contracted and as the device 10 isrotated at a high rate of revolutions per minute, a suction is formedwithin the main body portion which will, along with the aforementionedelasticity, secure the brush therein during the cleaning process.

It should be noted that where it is desired to clean a brush having asubstantially conical handle (not shown), the tip of the handle of sucha brush is inserted into the bore 34 of the resilient plug 32 and thus astill further holding means is provided.

Having described and illustrated one embodiment of this invention, it isto be noted that this embodiment is given only by way of example andthat this invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an accessory device for a rotary drill or the like, said devicebeing adapted to releasably grip the handle portion of a brush forspinning in the drill; a brush handle holder comprising an elongated,resilient, substantially hollow main body portion, said main bodyportion including an open end and an opposing closed end; and meansconnected to said closed end for the connection of said device with saiddrill.

2 A brush handle gripping device adapted for use with a rotary powersource including a chuck, said device comprising an elongated main bodyportion formed of a resilient material and having a longitudinallyextending cavity formed therein adapted to receive said brush handle;and means on said device for. effecting the release able connectionthereof with said power source.

Eg s-1,001-

3. A brush handle gripping device as defined in claim 2 whereinlongitudinal re-inforcing means are provided on the exterior surface ofsaid main body portion.

4. A brush holder adaptedtq hold the handle; portion of a brush, saidhandle portion including a p'ointed tip; and said brush holder beingadapted. fontuse' with a portable electric drill which includes a chuck,s aid holder comprising an elongated, hollow main body portion formed ofa resilient material, said main body' portion having an elongatedhandle-receiving cavity,extending trom an open end thereof to anopposing closed end; means adjacent said closed end for connection ofsaid holder in said chuck; andan annular plug member in said cavityadjacent they closed end of the main body portion, said plug having anopening formed therein adapted to grip said pointed tip of said brush.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHERREFERENCES Montgomery Ward Fall and Winter 195 7 58, page 1063, item 61.

